Brendan & Lori O'Gara

Hi. My name is Lori and it has been 83 days since I have logged onto social media.

Social media is the foundation of what is wrong with our society. It is a platform of lies and manipulation that has a hold on almost everyone know and those I love. As an author, it is a double edge sword. On one hand, I don’t approve of the environment social media creates the addiction, and the hate it promotes. On the other, it is the widest road to share my work. Still, I have found ways to keep a distance from the toxic dump of social media and promote my words.

I can’t help but think about Orwell’s 1984 and the Pixar film, Wall-E. Screens everywhere. In hands, on walls, on desks, in bedrooms, at family dinners, at work, and more. Everywhere. We are a planet of humans addicted to the dopamine rush of social media.

83 days ago this was me: Wake up, check the phone. The phone vibrates, pick it up. The phone is never far from hand. Spent hours scrolling and scrolling. I could not go five minutes without picking up the phone. My anxiety levels were obnoxious. I won’t go into the dirt about why disquietude ruled my thoughts, but it was all tied to social media. The small lift from social media lasted a few minutes. Then I was off to find the next fix. My excuse was I needed social media to stay in touch with people who were too far away to see every day. That is a load of crap. I didn’t see my local family and friends any more than the out-of-town people. My other excuse was that I needed it to gather information. I don’t watch the news, so I needed it to keep up with what was happening in the world. Again, crap. The truth is that there was an invisible chain from the screen to my brain.

I decided to break it.

First, I uninstalled all the social media apps. Did not delete accounts, not yet. Just made it less convenient to access them. I set my posts here to auto-post so that I can still release my words freely in the world. Also, set photos to auto-post on IG as that is my photo archive.

Second, told my family and friends I was taking a hiatus from social media. The funny thing about this is that I don’t think anyone believed me. Even my husband said that he gave it a week. Other people often say, “Hey did you see that post?” At first, I replied with, “No I am off social media.” They would look at me shocked or confused, “What? Still?” Now I just smile and say, “No. Tell me about it. Don’t show me.”

Getting information in alternative forms takes work. I get my news the old-fashioned way, Newspapers, in print, and online. I just intentionally stay away from the comment sections. I text, call, and write my family. Call, yes with my real voice. Write, yes, with paper, pencils, and stamps. Slowly my family and friends started responding. They are texting pictures and letting me know how they are doing. I have gotten real phone calls from them too. I like that a lot. I haven’t received many letters back in the mail, but I am holding out hope that someone will write me back.

Then the next step was the most difficult and I have to consciously have to work through it every day. Do not go on social media on your computer. Like an alcoholic who takes that one sip, you start back at day one. The first few weeks were very difficult. The struggle is real y’all.

The results have been amazing. My screen time has dropped a whopping 63%. I have read more, cooked more, and spent more quality time with my loved ones.

Here is another crazy result, I spend less money. Imagine that! No ads, no impulse shopping. This prompted me to delete all the delivery apps. I now go to the store. Also, I am using Amazon for the staples like household supplies. If you order laundry soap, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and other everyday use items on a subscription it saves about 15-20% on your monthly expenses.

I can’t think of a downside to removing me from the social media equation. It has, so far been one of the best things I have done. I feel free.

I will update you again on this journey in about 30 more days. Till then stay tuned for other observations and meandering.

Light & Love, Lori